Guys; in many problems it is the final symptom that is targeted. The root cause of the problem is rarely considered. Wrong. A sticking plaster is not the solution, nor pain-killers, if an operation is needed.
People here, and on the Airlines/Routes section, say that you know the rules and can pay extra if you need it. That's easy to say, but is it correct? I fly many times, and on many different carriers. It is a nightmare. The rules for different carriers using the same a/c at the same airport are diverse to drive you to rage. It is daft and the carriers are at fault, not the pax. It is a customer based service and too many have forgotten that. The carriers are the root cause of the problem by their pathetic little catch you if they can minutiae regulations and lack of discretion. Not only do they have different policies with 1 hand-luggage, only; one hand-luggage + a duty free bag; 1 hand-luggage + 1 accessory e.g laptop, handbag, umbrella, duty-free bag: they then have different sizes, weights. The only choice you have is colour. I've heard of people who go outbound with one airline, no bother and then get stung for extra this & that by a different carrier using the same a/c on the return flight. Plain daft and absolutely not customer friendly. It is us who pay their wages etc. and yet we are treated as little school children to be hounded and cajoled into submission. e.g. One major has a sensible 1 hand-baggage + 1 accessory. It's LoCo subsidiary, same a/c, has a strict 1 bag only. Same airport. Dumb! That is the big difference I find between the national carriers and LoCo's. The former are not always perfect, but the customer still has more sway and receives more care and respect than with the latter. Nationality is also a factor.
I remember the days at STN where security were responsible for the hand-baggage rules: another daft idea. Some airlines had 1 bag only, others 1 bag + accessory. How to make a difficult job more difficult. It was hell, for us and them. The industry is a provider/company driven business model, not a customer driven
one. OK, there are 'pain in the neck' people, but the majority just want a peaceful trip. This is denied by pettiness and unreasonable rules and their enforcement.
If 1 handbag of 10kgs and ICAO size + 1 accessory is good enough for 1 major & 1 LoCo I travel with often, then it should be good enough for them all. Disgruntled pax are not self created. They do not go to the airport looking for an argument. The opposite. Much blame needs to be laid at the airline's feet. That is one reason why, when I can, I choose one over another. For many this is not the case. Basic facilities and curtesy should not be a matter of who can pay.
There needs to be a fight back.
Rant over.